14-year-old gamer builds adaptive VR controller after standard one didn't work
14-year-old Scott Merrow, who was born with symbrachydactyly, collaborated with his uncle to engineer a custom, adaptive VR controller. The project began as a school assignment and evolved into a functional device that allows him to play VR games effectively.
Why it matters
This story highlights the importance of inclusive design and the potential for DIY engineering to solve accessibility barriers in gaming.
For 14-year-old Scott Merrow of Auburn, New Hampshire, playing video games has always meant finding his own way to use a standard controller. A gamer who enjoys playing virtual reality games with his friends, Scott has a condition called symbrachydactyly, in which fingers may be underdeveloped or may not develop at all, according to Boston Children's Hospital.According to Wmur, Scott refers to his left hand as his 'little hand'. While playing with a traditional game controller, he developed his own way of using it. He would keep the controller in his lap and divide its controls between his left and right hands."And I'd basically just section the controller off, so half would be my little hand; the other half would be my right hand that really just adapted to it," Scott says. "I can't explain how it works, because I grew up with it.
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